What If Rose Hadn't Gone?
by Iceduck
Summary: Explores what might have happened to Rose had she not travelled with the Doctor after the events of Rose.
1. Part One

"Right then!", said the Doctor, standing in the doorway of the TARDIS. "I'll be off!" He paused. "Unless ... I don't know ... You could come with me."

Rose looked at him strangely. For one insane moment, she actually thought life with this mysterious man could actually be fun.

"This box isn't just a London hopper, you know," he continued. "It goes anywhere in the universe free of charge."

"Don't!" came a voice from beside Rose, and she suddenly remembered that Mickey was with her. "He's an alien! He's a thing!"

"He's not invited."

Rose looked back at the Doctor. The man - the alien - she'd known for less than forty-eight hours.

"What do you think? You could stay here and fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go ... Anywhere."

Rose couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Is it always this dangerous?" she asked.

"Yes," said the Doctor, a gleam in his eyes.

And with that, Rose remembered herself.

"Yeah, I can't," she said. "I've ... Gotta go and find my mum and ... Someone's gotta look after this stupid lump ..." She gave Mickey a pat on the back. "So ..."

"Okay," said the Doctor. "See you around."

He stepped back into the TARDIS, and closed the doors. He wandered over to the console, and started to move. As far away as possible, he decided. In terms of both space and ... Time ...

Bang! He hit another button, pulled another lever. Had to get back to the same place ...

The TARDIS column was raised and dropped as the sound of ancient engines filled the air. As it stopped, the Doctor walked calmly for the doors, and opened them.

"By the way," he said. "Did I mention it also ... travels ..."

Rose was nowhere to be seen. More to the point, it was now broad daylight.

"Ah," said the Doctor. "Naturally."

Doctor Who "What If Rose Hadn't Gone?" Part One Steffan Alun

The Doctor waited patiently by the door. He checked his watch, mostly for the look of the thing. Finally, the door was opened by Jackie Tyler.

"Well, well," she said. "If I'd known there was such a good looking man at the door, I'd have come sooner."

"Yes," said the Doctor stiffly. "I was wondering if Rose Tyler still lives here."

"I'll go get her, if you like," said Jackie. "Mind you, if there's anything I could help you with ..." She started to rub the back of his leg with hers.

"No need," said the Doctor. "I'll just wait for Rose."

Finally, Jackie backed away.

"I remember you now," she said. "Don't try any funny business, mind. I know your type."

She walked back into the flat. A moment later, Rose appeared. As soon as she saw the Doctor, her eyes grew wide.

"Hia, Rose, I was just in the neighbourhood when -"

"Out. Now."

She grabbed his arm and marched him away from the flat and up the emergency staircase. Without a word, she walked all the way to the top of the building.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"There was something I forgot to mention," said the Doctor.

"Go on, then."

"The TARDIS. You know, the big blue -"

"Yes, I remember the TARDIS," said Rose impatiently. "I remember almost being killed because the Nestene thing found it."

"Right," said the Doctor, taken aback. "Anyway, did I mention it also travels in time?"

"No, you didn't."

Silence. Then, eventually, the Doctor spoke again.

"Thought that might sway your decision ..."

"What decision?"

"To come with me. You know. Travel through space ... And time, by the way, did I mention that?"

Rose stared at him. Her expression softened.

"I was so angry at myself," she said quietly. "And you just vanished. A whole year, and you didn't come back."

"Yes, well. Sorry about that."

She smiled at him.

"I'd love to come. Take a second chance."

"I'm all about second chances," said the Doctor, grinning broadly.

"But I can't," said Rose. "Mickey and I ... We're engaged."

The Doctor's expression was unreadable.

"I know what you're thinking," she said. "But it's fine. I mean, really. I tried going back to normality, and it didn't work. There was no one else I could talk to. We'd been through so much, Mickey and me. The press called the whole thing a prank. But we were there - we saw it. Aliens and spaceships and things, and we're the only people on planet earth who know they exist."

And, at that moment, as if on cue, a spaceship flew overhead, smoke trailing from the tail. It dived into Big Ben, then landed in the Thames, sending water everywhere.

"Oh, that's just not fair."

-------

The next few hours flew by for Rose. She could barely remember watching the news in the flat, having been dragged off shortly afterwards to Downing Street. Mickey had wanted to come with her, of course, but Jackie had insisted that he stay to set up her internet connection. How surprised he'd been when, hours later, the Doctor phoned him from Downing Street with instructions to use the selfsame connection to guide a missile into the building. And now, here they were - the Doctor back at his TARDIS, and the Slitheen threat neutralised.

"Two invasions in a year," said the Doctor.

"Is that a record?" asked Mickey, grinning.

"Without a TARDIS?" the Doctor asked. "Probably." He turned to Rose. "So how about it? Got a taste for danger yet?"

"Doctor ..." Rose started, taking Mickey's hand.

"There's room for two," said the Doctor gently.

Rose and Mickey exchanged a glance.

"Best not," said Rose. "We need to get some proper jobs. Raise a bit of cash for the wedding."

"Right," said the Doctor. "Of course."

"Will you be alright?" she asked.

"Of course," he said. "I'll be fine. Same old life for me. Travels through time and space." He looked up into the sky. "I don't suppose I could tempt you with a planet that contains dogs with no noses?"

Mickey perked up. "Seriously?"

"No, Doctor," laughed Rose. "It's not going to work. But promise me one thing."

"Go on."

"Visit us sometimes."

The Doctor grinned.

"Of course. But only if you promise me something." He stepped forward. "Have a good life. Do that for me, Rose. Have a fantastic life." 


	2. Part Two

Earth. Britain. England, London, the Powell Estate. The twenty-fourth of December.

Jackie looked around the flat. She'd had to decorate the flat by herself this year - Rose had bigger things to worry about. Shame about the tree, she thought. She had to watch the pennies this year, so she'd had to make do with a two-foot tree from the market.

Behind her, the door opened, and in came Rose in her dressing gown.

"I thought you were at Mickey's," said Jackie.

"He had work this morning," said Rose. "I came back late last night."

"How's his job going, then?" asked Jackie.

"Good, I think."

"Nice that he's getting his act together," said Jackie. "I think he'll make a good mechanic. I have to admit, I didn't think he'd ever stick to a career."

Rose smiled. She had a feeling that Mickey's decision had been triggered by a conversation many months ago. A conversation with a man who claimed that Mickey would never understand - how had he described it? - his "frankly magnificent" spaceship. It hadn't been long before Mickey started to learn about cars - how they worked, how to maintain them, what an MOT actually meant. He'd come a long way in a relatively short amount of time. Now, he was perfectly at home in the garage. The smell of the oil, the sound of the engines ...

The sound. That sound. Where was it coming from? A loud, groaning, wheezing sound.

Rose ran out of the flash, her mother calling from behind.

By the time she arrived outside, Mickey had arrived too, still holding a spanner.

"You heard it too?" he asked.

"Course I did."

"He's coming back."

The TARDIS materialised quietly near some bins. A short-haired man in a leather jacket walked out.

"Hello," he said, smiling. "Nice to see a welcoming committee."

"Doctor," said Rose. "Welcome back."

"Nice to be back," he replied.

"Who are you talking to?" came a voice from inside the TARDIS.

"Ah, yes," said the Doctor. "Rose, Mickey, I'd like you to meet ..."

A man with short black hair and a long blue coat walked out, grinning broadly.

"Hi. I'm Captain Jack Harkness."

Doctor Who "What If Rose Hadn't Gone?" Part Two Steffan Alun

The Doctor hadn't intended to stay long. A quick greeting for Rose and Mickey and a nice break for Jack after the ordeals of Sector Four-Four-Kappa-Zero. He certainly hadn't wanted to stay for dinner, but Jack and Rose had really taken to one another. They were all in the flat now, tucking into a takeaway. Meanwhile, the Doctor stood on the balcony, looking out over the city.

Eventually, he was joined by Mickey, who came and leant next to him.

"Expecting trouble?" he asked.

"I don't do domestic," said the Doctor, slightly petulantly.

"Right," said Mickey. "I just thought ... With the time machine and everything ... You're only ever here when there's trouble."

"I've only been here twice!" said the Doctor. "Anyway, that's not how it works. I can't find out about something afterwards and then stick my nose in, can I?"

"Can't you?"

"Course not!" The Doctor grinned. "No. Take my word for it, nine times out of ten, I show up somewhere, and the most exciting event is a sale at Dixons."

-----

The Doctor sat in the TARDIS, watching the news on the monitor. This was his second day in London - Jack had insisted on going shopping for a new outfit. And so, once again, the Doctor was alone in the TARDIS.

Which wasn't a problem, of course. No, no. After all, that's why he'd adapted the console so that he could comfortably control it alone. Nine times out of ten, anyway. Well, five times out of ten.

And suddenly, his ears perked up. On the monitor, an enormous spaceship was shown. He frowned - was that Big Ben in the background ...?

He dashed outside. As he'd suspected, the TARDIS was directly in the spaceship's shadow.

Suddenly, all around him, there was the shattering of glass. Every window pane for miles around all spontaneously exploded outwards. Of course, being Christmas, everyone was inside, so the damage to the locals was minimal. The Doctor, however, was standing in the blast radius. Shards of glass cut him from all directions, shredding his clothes and tearing his face. He ran into the TARDIS as quickly as he could.

-----

Rose was already running for the fire escape.

"Where are you going?" Mickey called. "It could be dangerous."

"It probably is," replied Rose. "But the safest place in the universe is parked outside."

Privately acknowledging this, Mickey followed. They ran down the steps, and finally reached the TARDIS. Jack was running from the opposite direction, smiling broadly.

"The Top Shop blew up!" he said. "Deserved it, too. I mean, who closes at Christmas?"

He reached into his pocket, and took out a key.

"He's given you a key?" asked Rose.

"Yeah," said Jack. "If I'm lucky, he'll put me on the insurance for my next birthday."

They entered the TARDIS. The Doctor was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he?" asked Rose.

And then he arrived, from a door in the back. The Doctor had cauterised his cuts with the Sonic Screwdriver, but his face was still a horrific sight.

"Oh my God," said Rose quietly.

"The glass," said Jack.

And then, out of the blue, the Doctor smiled. In spite of his wounds, the Doctor looked as fresh and bright as ever.

"Let's find out what's going on, then."

-----

The TARDIS materialised in the spaceship. The leader of the Sycorax turned around, annoyed.

The Doctor marched out, followed by Jack, Rose and Mickey.

"You are here without permission," said the leader.

"I don't need permission," said the Doctor, sounding offended.

The Sycorax leader reached for his whip. He cracked it towards the Doctor, who grabbed and discarded it. The leader roared, and swung his staff towards him. The Doctor calmly grabbed it, snapped it in half, and threw the pieces to one side.

"I think we can call that a staff discount," he grinned. "Now. Let's see what you're ..."

He spotted a mechanism in the back.

"Blood control. Now, that takes me back." There was sadness in his eyes. "So, this is an invasion. Tell me." He stepped towards the leader. "How do you solve disputes on your planet?"

"This is not a dispute," said the leader. "This is a victory."

"Battle, then," deduced the Doctor. "And if I'm right ... you'd use these."

He grabbed the sword of a Sycorax bodyguard.

"Come on. Come and have a go."

The Sycorax leader roared with laughter, and the rest of the Sycorax followed suit.

And the battle began. The Doctor held his own, but the leader was strong. For five minutes, they swung, blocked, defected, lunged, parried and struck.

"Doesn't he ever get tired?" wondered Mickey.

"Let's give him a bit of help," said Jack. "These creatures. Their spaceship looks like a huge cave. They're covered from head to toe. I'm thinking they're not used to the bright sunlight of globally-warmed planet Earth."

He shoved a nearby guard out of his way, and ran for a button. A door opened, leading to a platform outside.

"Doctor!" Jack called.

The battle continued outside. Rose and Mickey caught up, and found the Doctor being led towards the edge.

"Watch out, Doctor!" called Rose.

"No need to worry about me," the Doctor grinned.

He ran towards the leader, sword raised. The leader raised his own sword in anticipation. Steel blades crashed together, and the Doctor grimaced with effort. Suddenly, the leader lashed out, and the Doctor was knocked to the ground. The leader struck again, and cut through the Doctor's wrist. The Doctor felt his arm suddenly lighter, as his hand - still holding the sword - fell towards London.

"You cut my hand off," said the Doctor, eyes wide.

"Ja! Sycorax!" screamed the leader.

BANG.

The sound of a gunshot. The Sycorax leader dropped to his knees, and collapsed.

"Always come prepared," said Jack, holstering his gun. No trace of humour in his voice.

-----

Once again, it was time for Rose to bid farewell to this strange man, whose visits always seemed to coincide with alien invasions.

"Not interested in coming along for the ride, are you?" asked Jack.

"Having a Jack and a Rose on board," said Rose. "Not trying to recreate the Titanic, are you?"

"It's been an interesting visit," said the Doctor. He looked down at his missing hand. "Still, something to tell the grandkids." Once again, a sadness in his eyes.

"I'm gonna go start her up," said Jack, squeezing into the TARDIS. Rose suspected that he was giving them their privacy.

"I'm glad you found someone," said Rose. "Can't be fun. Travelling by yourself."

"You'd be surprised," said the Doctor. "Anyway." He passed her a piece of paper. "That's the TARDIS's phone number."

"The TARDIS has a phone?"

"What good Police Box doesn't? Anyway, if you ever need to get in touch, ring that. Wherever I am - time or space - it'll reach me."

The Doctor walked inside, and shortly afterwards, Rose felt the strong breeze caused by the TARDIS dematerialising. She carefully folded the piece of paper the Doctor had given her, and walked back to the flat. 


End file.
